The objectives of this research were to analyze anthocyanins in blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.), bilberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L), and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.), using HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS2, Fourteen, fifteen, and eight anthocyanins were identified in blue honeysuckle, bilberry, and cranberry, respectively. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and peonidin-3-glucoside were detected in all three types of berries, with blue honeysuckle showing the highest C3G content at 5686.28 mg/100 g DW. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), along with ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, were measured. Blue honeysuckle exhibited the highest levels of TPC and TFC. The SOD, POD, and CAT activities in blue honeysuckle were 1761.17 U/g, 45,525.65 U/g, and 1043.24 U/g, respectively, which were significantly superior to those in bilberry and cranberry. The antioxidant mechanisms of these enzymes were investigated by molecular docking, C3G showed a higher affinity for POD, confirming the effectiveness of C3G as an antioxidant.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus L08 (L. rhamnosus L08) to enhance the functionality, improve the taste, and explore efficient storage methods of blue honeysuckle juice (BHJ). The fermentation process resulted in an increase in the levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins in blue honeysuckle juice, which was attributed to the action of β-glucosidase on specific phenolic compounds, namely Cyanidin-3-Glucoside and Quinic acid. The increase in phenolic content resulted in an enhancement of the antioxidant capacity of BHJ. The fermentation processed, utilizing L. rhamnosus L08, not only enhanced the flavor and taste of BHJ, but also mitigated its bitter aftertaste while minimizing the loss of bioactive components during storage. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a potential avenue for enhancing the commercial value and dietary significance of this lesser-known superfruit, with fermented BHJ emerging as a promising innovation in the field of functional foods.

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a deciduous shrub with perennial rootstock found in China. The objectives of this study were to explore the drought tolerance of blue honeysuckle, determine the effect of drought stress on two photosystems, and examine the mechanism of acquired drought tolerance. In this study, blue honeysuckle under four levels of simulated field capacity (100%, 85%, 75%, and 65% RH) was grown in split-root pots for drought stress treatment, for measuring the changes in chlorophyll content, photosynthetic characteristics, and leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. The chlorophyll content of each increased under mild stress and decreased under moderate and severe stress. The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, and stomatal conductance of blue honeysuckle decreased with the increase in water stress. However, the water utilization rate and stomatal limit system increased under mild and moderate stress and decreased under severe stress. The maximum fluorescence (Fm), maximum photochemical efficiency, and quantum efficiency of photosystem II decreased with the decrease in soil water content, and the initial fluorescence increased significantly (p < 0.01). With the decrease in soil water content, the energy allocation ratio parameters decreased under severe drought stress. The main activity of the unit reaction center parameters first increased and then decreased. ABS/CSm, TRo/CSm, ETo/CSm, and REo/CSm gradually declined. After a comprehensive analysis, the highest scores were obtained under adequate irrigation (CK). Overall, we concluded that the water irrigation system of blue honeysuckle should be considered adequate.

Identification of anthocyanin relies heavily on authentic anthocyanin standards and the detection instruments employed, and both of these made tremendous improvement in the past decades. Here, with 118 authentic anthocyanin standards and state-of-the-art detection method, we comprehensively analyze the anthocyanin composition of the most commonly seen, deep-colored berries and grains in China. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside is the overwhelmingly major anthocyanin in all the berries and grains examined, including blue honeysuckle, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry, mulberry, black rice, and black soybean, which accounts for an average of 82% of the total anthocyanins with a little variation between them. Peonidin-3-O-glucoside is the second most abundant anthocyanin ranging from 2.6%-14.9% of the total anthocyanins. Pelargonidin-3,5-O-diglucoside is only found in blue honeysuckle, and besides that, berries and grains share a dominant portion of common anthocyanins among them. This study primes the survey of anthocyanin in common Chinese foods for the establishment of a nutrition database.

Haskap berry (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a rich dietary source of anthocyanins with potent anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, isolated haskap berry anthocyanins were encapsulated in maltodextrin and inulin (3:1) by freeze-drying to improve stability and bioavailability. The structural properties of microcapsules, encapsulation yield, efficiency, recovery, and powder retention were evaluated. The microcapsules that exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (60%) and anthocyanin recovery (89%) were used in the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis in mice. Thirty-five BALB/c male mice of seven weeks old were divided into seven dietary supplementation groups (n = 5) to receive either free anthocyanins, encapsulated anthocyanins (6.2 mg/day), or probiotics (1 × 109 CFU/day) alone or as combinations of anthocyanin and probiotics. As observed by clinical data, free anthocyanin and probiotic supplementation significantly reduced the severity of colitis. The supplementary diets suppressed the DSS-induced elevation of serum inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor) and apoptosis markers (B-cell lymphoma 2 and Bcl-2-associated X protein) in mice colon tissues. The free anthocyanins and probiotics significantly reduced the serum IL-6 levels. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of haskap berry anthocyanins and probiotics protects against DSS-induced colitis possibly by attenuating mucosal inflammation, and this combination has the potential as a health-promoting dietary supplement and nutraceutical.

Blue honeysuckle is emerging as a popular edible fruit and is also used in folk medicine. However, from June to August 2021, a serious leaf-spot disease affected the yield and quality of blue honeysuckle in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China; the species and characteristics of the pathogens responsible for the disease were unknown. In this study, 30 fungal isolates were obtained from infected blue honeysuckle leaves and identified as Alternaria tenuissima based on morphological and molecular characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to identify A. tenuissima as the causal agent of blue honeysuckle leaf spots in China. Pathogenicity tests of the isolates revealed that most isolates were moderately pathogenic. All blue honeysuckle cultivars tested were found to be susceptible to 30 A. tenuissima isolates. In addition, elder, Dahurian rose fruit, sea buckthorn, rowan, hawthorn, bird cherry, and sorb could be infected by A. tenuissima isolates, while European cranberry bush and Nanking cherry were not infected. A. tenuissima isolates were highly sensitive to prochloraz (EC50 ≤ 0.50 μg ml-1) with 86.21% efficacy at 400 μg ml-1 in the field trials. Therefore, crop rotation and application of chemical fungicides are considered to control the disease-causing leaf spots in blue honeysuckle. These results provide a basis for controlling A. tenuissima in blue honeysuckle in China.

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) berries are nutritionally rich and unique in flavor. However, its aroma compounds have not been known well. In this study, the key aroma-active compounds in 8 different varieties of blue honeysuckle berries were studied by sensory-directed analysis. Sensory evaluation suggested that the aroma profile of blue honeysuckle berry was fruity, floral, grassy, sweet, and sour. A total of 68 aroma compounds were detected by two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry analysis (GC × GC-O-MS). Then, aroma extraction dilution analysis (AEDA) and odor activity value (OAV) showed that 12 compounds were indicated to be the major aroma contributors. According to the principal component analysis (PCA) results, eight varieties were divided into three categories for their differences on alcohols and terpenoids content. Finally, the aroma recombination and omission experiments determined that linalool, hexanal, eucalyptol, octanal, nonanal, and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate were the key aroma-active compounds in blue honeysuckle berries.

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) is rich in phenolic compounds and has an extremely high nutritional value. Fruit abscission in the ripe period significantly impacts production and economic benefits. However, the mechanism associated with the abscission of blue honeysuckle fruit remains largely unknown. The easy-abscission cultivar \'HSY\' and the hard-abscission cultivar \'Berel\' were selected as plant materials. Anatomical changes of the \'HSY\' fruit abscission zone (FAZ) during the abscission mainly included cell expansion, detachment, and collapse. Active changes in cell wall-degrading enzyme activity between 39 days postanthesis (DPA) and 55 DPA in \'HSY\' FAZ, but not in \'Berel\', suggest a critical role for cell-wall-degrading enzymes in regulating abscission. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that the genes and metabolites responding to abscission mainly act on pathways such as plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The regulatory pathways of fruit abscission are mainly summarized into two parts: phytohormone synthesis and signal transduction, FAZ cell wall metabolism. In this study, 46 key genes related to plant hormone response, 45 key genes involved in FAZ cell wall metabolism, and 73 transcription factors were screened. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assessed the expression pattern of 12 selected candidate genes, demonstrating the accuracy of the transcriptome data and elucidating the expression patterns of key candidate genes during growth and development. This study will provide an essential resource for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of fruit abscission in the blue honeysuckle.

Blue honeysuckle is a source of anthocyanins with great potential as a food colorant, and a healthy and functional food material, and contains much cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G), which has many benefits for human health. A rapid, reliable, accurate quantification method of anthocyanin content in different varieties of blue honeysuckle is critical to help in breeding and selecting excellent varieties which are used in the food processing industry and healthcare industry. Our objective was to verify the modified quantification method of C3G and quantified C3G content in three blue honeysuckle varieties of \'Berel\', \'Lanjingling\' and \'Wulan\' using the modified HPLC method by Agilent 1200 system and CAPCELL PAK C18 column (150 mmⅹ4.6 mm, I. D., 5 μm, Japan), with detection at 530 nm, the solvent flow rate was 1 mL/min, the temperature of the column chamber is 35 °C. The results indicated that the modified method was validated in terms of linearity (R2 = 0.999), precision (RSD = 0.61%), stability (RSD = 5.23%), and recovery with a good level, and C3G can be quickly quantified in blue honeysuckle. In addition, \'Wulan\' contains the highest C3G level compared with \'Lanjingling\' and \'Berel\'.

Lonicera caerulea var. edulis, known as \"blue honeysuckle\" or \"Haskap,\" is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. Characterized by the high cold hardiness and high quality of fruit, it has become a novel cash crop in cold regions worldwide. The lack of available chloroplast (cp) genome information limits studies of its molecular breeding and phylogeny. Here, the complete cp genome of Lonicera caerulea var. edulis was assembled and characterized for the first time. It was 155,142 bp in length with 38.43% of GC content, including 23,841 bp inverted repeat regions (IRs), an 88,737 bp large single-copy region (LSC), and an 18,723 bp small single-copy region (SSC). A total of 132 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 39 tRNA genes were annotated. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that L. caerulea var. edulis was closely related to L. tangutica. These data and results provide a valuable resource for the development of breeding tools and genetic diversity studies for L. caerulea.